


Does it Ache After All?

by My_Chemical_Mermaid



Category: Death Note (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Angst, Eventual Smut, F/M, Falling In Love, Grief/Mourning, POV Alternating, POV Third Person, Slow Burn, Some Fluff, Some Humor, Touch-Starved, still clueless about tagging
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-24
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 17:13:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29670543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/My_Chemical_Mermaid/pseuds/My_Chemical_Mermaid
Summary: Ume Kitamura is a suspect in the Kira case! Her life as a normal college student is interrupted when the detective L approaches her and reveals himself. She finds she has a knack for deductions and joins the case after L asks her too. They begin working more closely together as the investigation shifts away from her and onto Light. Ume finds herself consumed by the case and by the strange detective known as L.Notes at the bottom!
Relationships: L (Death Note)/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 3





	1. Prelude

L watched the feed from the interrogation room where Ume Kitamura was placed in and left alone by Aizawa. His mind turned as he took in all the details he could from just watching. Her clothes were stylish but not in an overt way. Her hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail, allowing some brown locks to fall around her face. It was worth noting her subtle makeup, lip gloss, blush, eye liner blended with neutral eyeshadow. Like her clothes, it was trendy but understated. There was ink on her fingers, indicating she was left-handed and had been working on something, homework or perhaps a drawing. They had picked her up on campus and had found her in the student center, reading a psychology textbook.

Her eyes focused on the laptop in front of her, he saw her eyes flick to the side of the camera, noting the red light that indicated it was on. The audio picked only the sounds of her breathing and movements as she adjusted herself in the chair. She seemed nervous, as to be expected but kept her cool. She didn't react like a caged animal, like a killer that had been caught.

Of course this could all be an act. A careful facade crafted to convince everyone she was a normal university student. Perhaps some time alone in the interrogation room could cause a crack in the mask.

The chances of her being Kira was less than 3%, much less than where Light stood at the moment. But he couldn't rule it out entirely to solely pursue Light. Ume Kitamura had much in common with Light. Light was about to take his entrance exams to the same university she attended, their fathers are both police officers, and both are exceptional students. Could Kira be two people? The possibility was about 1%.

From what he could tell from the surveillance of her household, Ume was not in contact with Light. She had a friend or two over to visit but their research into those people hadn’t indicated anything of interest. Just normal students. She had higher than average intelligence but other than that, Ume Kitamura was a normal 19 year old woman. She had seen the news broadcasts of the criminals who had died of heart attacks shortly after. L reviewed the tapes closely but hadn't seen anything indicate that she had killed them.

“How much longer are you going to make her wait, Ryuzaki? She looks like she’s going crazy in there,” Matsuda protested. Ume had risen out of her chair and had begun pacing.

“A reasonable reaction to her situation, I’m sure. I believe it’s time to start.” L nodded and pressed the button in front of him. He leaned into the microphone.

“Miss Kitamura, if you are ready, please take a seat.”


	2. Interrogation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ume is interrogated by L. She must keep her cool and be sincere

Ume Kitamura shifted nervously in her seat. She'd been sitting in a cold empty room for over an hour now, wrists handcuffed in front of her. The police had taken her in under suspicion of being Kira and she was awaiting questioning from the detective taking lead on the case, L. She knew leaving her alone was an interrogation tactic. They wanted her defensive and irritable. Or perhaps they wanted to observe her in isolation. On the table in front of her, there was a laptop with a webcam attached. A red light on the side of the camera indicated it was in use. Despite knowing the game she was playing, Ume’s leg bounced uncontrollably.

Her legs seemed to command themselves as she stood up and began to pace. There was no way she was going to speak first. It may look as though she is anxious to be questioned but that was the truth. How could she convince them of her innocence? Whoever Kira was, they left precious little evidence to truly condemn or exonerate. The killings had been going on for over a month now, by her reckoning. The police clearly hadn’t made much progress in the case. Just bringing her in was proof of that. Did they truly have no stronger suspects?

“Miss Kitamura,” A filtered voice sounded from the laptop and caused her to jump out of her skin. “If you are ready, please take a seat.”

She wasn’t sure if it was the distortion, but the voice was even and cool, almost emotionless. Wordlessly, Ume slid back into her chair. She remembered this voice from the broadcast where Kira was baited. L, the so-called greatest detective in the world. There was little to go off, but based on that one broadcast, she knew L was the sort who would do anything to catch Kira. And he, assuming L was a “he”, would enjoy it. Perhaps he did believe in justice and the value of human life, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t enjoy the chase.

Ume swallowed and steadied her breathing. She didn’t want to seem like a fool.

“I apologize for the manner of our meeting, but precautions had to be taken,” the voice said. “I am L.”

Ume nodded, “I take it you’ve been watching me this whole time?”

“Yes.”

“And what conclusions did you draw from that?” Ume looked straight into the camera. Her right leg wouldn’t settle down.

“None that I can share with you, you understand. The police told you why you are here, I assume. Even if they didn’t, I suppose it wouldn’t be hard to figure out.”

“Yes, you suspect me of being Kira.” Ume couldn’t help stop her voice from wavering slightly.

“That’s correct.” He stated.

“I suppose my right to legal counsel is suspended?"

"For the time being, it is necessary. Kira is a killer unlike no other and stopping him or her takes priority over all. The police involved with the investigation have agreed to this."

"I'm a university student, I'm not a killer!" Her fear bubbled to the surface.

“Yes, let's start with that. Tell me more about your university, name, how long you’ve been studying, what you’re studying, and anything else you care to share.”

Ume sighed, “I just finished my second year at To-Oh. I’m studying psychology with the intention of becoming a child psychologist. I graduated top of my class in high school and I skipped a grade.” She scooted forward in her seat, leaning a little closer to the webcam.

“If you're investigating me then you know all this already. That’s why you suspect me right? Because Kira is intelligent. They must have access to classified police information which would indicate many officers. So something about the killings must indicate a student as well.”

“Well deduced.” The voice’s intonation went up slightly. He was impressed. That pleased her greatly, to her own surprise.

“Yes, I suspect Kira could be a student. It's also likely Kira has access to ongoing police case information.”

"I suppose guessing right made me more suspicious…" Ume bit her lip.

"Your records show you are intelligent. And now I know you're clever too."

And Kira is clever too, she thought. Playing detective was fun but she needed to watch what she said. L was analyzing every little interaction they had.

"So what else do you want to know?" Ume asked, hoping to brush past that blunder.

“We’ll move onto another subject. Are you single?”

She stared at the screen.

“. . .excuse me?”

“Please answer the question.”

“Yes, I am single.” Ume said slowly, still processing that question. What could that have to do with the Kira case? Did they think she was dating Kira? It seemed a little absurd to think so. What was L really getting at? Was he just trying to push buttons to see her reaction? Was it a lack of proficiency with social conventions?

“Do you often talk to women?” She chuckled, trying to make light of how awkward she felt.

There was a pause, “That is not relevant. I make no assumptions and no line of questioning is specific to gender.”

“Oh good, for a second there I thought you might ask me for a date next."

Another pause.

“I know these questions seem personal but it’s for a purpose. I would not ask them otherwise.”

“Interrogation, I know. I’m sorry, it was a stupid joke,” she looked away from the camera. "Guess now you know I make bad jokes and don't know when to shut my mouth."

"Yes, I can see that. I just have one final question for you. . . are you Kira?”

“You’re asking for a confession?” Ume raised her eyebrows. “Do you think Kira would answer honestly?”

“Mostly likely not,” she could almost hear L shrug. “Please answer the question, still. And would you come a little closer to the camera when you do?”

Ume stood up and leaned over the table to get closer to the camera. Perhaps it was easier to simply pull the laptop towards her but she was still feeling playful. Hopefully L would see that she wasn’t lying.

“No, I am not Kira.”

She waited for what seemed like five minutes before she heard an answer.

“Thank you for your time, Miss Kitamura. A police officer will be with you shortly to release you. You are free to go, but please do not leave town.”

“Of course, I still have classes to go to, you know?” Ume smirked. She instantly realized it was probably a bad idea to end on a joke. She wanted to be sincere.

“Wait, L!”

“Yes?”

“I don’t know if this will help or hurt me but I still feel the need to say it…” She paused, chewing her lip and casting her eyes down.

“Please, go on,” L encouraged.

“I've been following the case and I know what people are saying on the internet. Already people are rooting for Kira. But I don’t think Kira truly understands justice. They must believe that they are creating a just world but they see things in a completely black and white way. It’s not just the inherent value of a human life they miss, it’s the nuance. They don’t understand that there are monsters that hide in plain sight. Look at those serial killers who led normal lives with families. Their loved ones never knew that they were living with a killer. The world didn’t know either. There are people like that everywhere, and not just killers. Abusers, rapists, thieves, and exploiters. There’s no way Kira can know every evil in the world. To think otherwise is incredibly naïve and simplistic.”

There was a long pause and Ume thought she had lost him. She said nothing, for fear perhaps she had made a fool of herself after all. She should’ve just shut up.

“Thank you for your insight, it was… illuminating.” L’s voice was even and cool and inscrutable again. “Goodbye, Miss Kitamura.”


	3. Secret Meetings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L reveals his identity to Ume and asks her to join the task force.

Ume was outside sitting beneath a tree on campus, a small blanket spread out beneath her on the grass. She had a lull in between classes and was using that time to catch up on homework while grabbing a bite to eat. Write a sentence, grab a bite, read a passage in the book. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Someone clearing their throat jolted her out of her concentration. She looked up and saw a student in loose-fitting jeans and a plain long-sleeved white shirt. He looked as if he hadn’t slept in about a month and had been subsisting on mainly coffee and/or cocaine. His frame was lean and his posture hunched. In his hand was a paper sack.

“Hello, do you mind if I sit with you?” His monotone voice matched his half-lidded, almost bored stare.

“Um … sure,” Ume shrugged. She was certain she would have remembered someone like this. “Do we know each other?”

“Not precisely,” he crouched on the blanket next to her, knees bent up against his chest. He pulled out a strawberry from the paper bag and took a bite of it.  
“Oh I remember, you were the student who gave the speech at the freshmen assembly! Ryuga Hideki, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct. Did you attend?” Ryuga fixed his eyes on her without moving his head.

“It’s my third year but I go every time. I just like seeing all the fresh faces and how excited and earnest they are.”

“Mmm,” he said, his mouth full with another strawberry. “I see.”

He watched her intently. She felt as though she had missed something. He hadn’t sat down with her to chat or make friends. He didn’t even have a backpack or anything. It was like he had materialized from nowhere.

“I don’t mean to be rude, but what made you want to come sit with me? The whole school is buzzing about you and the other student who scored high on the entrance exam.”

“Light Yagami,” he supplied.

“That’s the one. People seem to know everything about him. But you’re a mystery. There’s plenty of wild speculation, if you listen to rumors.”

“I didn’t approach you on a random whim,” He turned his body towards her. “I sat here because I’m L.”

Silence followed and the ground fell out from beneath her. He was investigating her still! She’d been worried that she was still under suspicion. College was the only thing that had kept her busy and distracted from the whole Kira situation.

“Are you following me now? It’s been more than a week since you interrogated me and nothing. Now you show up out of nowhere while I’m at school?”

“There’s no need for any alarm. It’s true, I still suspect you may be Kira. However the possibility is less than 1%.” A small smile spread across his face.

Ume began breathing regularly again, “There’s another student you suspect.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Well you’re either here to investigate me as your prime suspect or there’s some else with a higher percentage than me. It’s a big risk revealing yourself like this for less than one percent. So unless you’re here for someone else, I have to believe I’m still being investigated, and you’re lying about how much you suspect me.”

L put his thumb to his lips and looked up, lost in thought. He sighed and leaned in closer.

“You’re right, I’m here for someone else.”

Ume grinned and nodded. She was good at this.

“Please, don’t tell anyone else we’ve met,” L fixed her with an intense stare.

“I promise,” she took a bite of her food. “If I’m going to school with Kira, don’t you think I should know? You know, so I can avoid them?”

“That would not be advisable. If you act differently around them, it could tip them off that you suspect them. That would put you in danger. No, for now you should follow your usual routine. If you happen to deduce who my other suspect is, do not approach them. And if circumstances force you to interact with, do your best to act normal."

"Do you really think Kira would kill someone just for acting strange around them?"

"Yes."

"Oh." A shiver ran down her spine at the thought. Most people believed Kira was killing only convicted criminals or criminals yet to be convicted. He must also be killing those that got in his way, innocent or not. Does Kira think the ends justify the means? Is he truly convinced that he can create a crimeless utopia?

"I'll let you get back to your studies. You may see me around campus. Please, act as you would if I was a normal student. I'm just another face in the crowd."  
Ume nodded, "Got it. See you around."

L got up and shuffled away. She noticed he didn't exactly explain why he had revealed himself to her. A move on the chessboard. He could be lying about how much he suspected her. What if there wasn’t another student he suspected and he just wanted her to let down her guard?

L, the best detective in the world. Younger than she expected, couldn't be more than a few years older than herself. He must have been a child prodigy! Yet he looked underfed and exhausted. And those eyes. It was like staring into the event horizon of a black hole. Nothing escaped that gaze.

She sketched his face in her notebook as she finished her lunch.

~~~

L found Ume walking alone towards the bus stop. Right on time as he had previously observed. Every other day she had a study group that ran into the evening and always caught the bus home. The rest of the campus was now quiet, empty, and dark.

He asked the driver to pull up beside her.

"Miss Kitamura!" He called as he rolled the window down.

Her face brightened when she saw him and she approached the car. She was pleased to see him? About a week had gone by since he told her who he was. He had been keeping an eye on her while he moved in on Light Yagami, his prime suspect. Ume had followed his advice and hadn't interacted with him or Light. Their two conversations hadn't exactly lent themselves towards fondness.

"L, following me again? You can call me Ume, by the way." She leaned into the window slightly.

"I can give you a ride home. Would you care to get in?" He wasn’t sure how to respond to a lot of her teasing. Perhaps he should tease her back...

"Sure," Ume smiled. "Thank you."

He opened the car door for her and slid over to make room for her. L gave the driver her address. She didn’t seem surprised that he knew it.

"Is it not inadvisable for a young woman to walk alone at night?" L asked, watching the city roll by out his window.

"I can take care of myself, L. I do it all the time. Even with crime rates dropping, one can never be too careful. Besides, I have this..." 

She opened her messenger bag and showed him the pepper spray hidden inside.

"A gift from my father. I think it’s more for his peace of mind than mine. If he had his way, I think I’d travel by way of police escort everywhere. Besides, if I'm Kira, you don’t have to worry about my safety on the street.”

"I suppose that’s true,” L shrugged. “I'll never be completely sure that you aren't Lira. However, I meant what I said, you are no longer a prime suspect. We can clear your name when we catch Kira."

"We?” She blinked.

"Yes, that was what I was getting to. I want you to join the investigation."

Ume laughed, “You’re serious?”

“Quite serious.”

“I’m flattered … and bewildered. Why would you want me to join? I’m not a detective.”

“No, but you are clever and you’ve shown an aptitude for deductions. Plus, with your background in psychology you could provide us with a more precise profile of Kira.”

“Studying psychology and practicing it are two very different things. I haven’t even studied criminology or anything-”

“You are welcome to say no,” he shrugged, “however, I wouldn’t ask you unless I was confident in your abilities." 

"Uh-huh. And it'd be easier to keep an eye on me too. Aren't you concerned that I might sabotage your investigation? Frame someone else?" Ume narrowed her eyes at him.

"Hmm, it's a possibility. But I think it would be incredibly difficult to frame someone for these killings. Any attempts to 'throw us off the trail' would easily read as false."

"In other words: clever, but not clever enough to get past you?"

She was teasing again.

"People lie all the time; lying is easy. But Kira may very well be a good liar.”

“Does Light Yagami lie to you?”

L opened his mouth to speak, but she continued.

“I saw the tennis match.” Ume wasn’t smiling but there was a certain knowing smirk in her eyes.

“I know.”

He didn’t elaborate further and let the silence hang between them. She already knew he was closing in on another suspect in school. L had hoped she wouldn’t find out it was Light Yagami but they had attracted a crowd at the tennis match. Even if he hadn’t picked her face out among the spectators, he was certain gossip would soon reach her ears. He could only keep so many secrets at once and there were more important things to hide.

"If you are going to join,” L spoke again, “you must also consider that joining the investigation would likely impact your studies. I’m asking you to risk your life. This is something you’re willing to see through to the end. I can't have anyone on my team that isn't committed.”

“I understand,” Ume nodded and then looked out the window. Her face was turned away from him but he could see it in the reflection on the window. Gears turning, pros and cons being weighed. She chewed her lip. He found himself anticipating her answer. If the situation called for it, he could be very patient. Yet as she was deliberating, each moment seemed to stretch longer than the last.

Finally, Ume turned her body towards him.

“I want to join. Even if this is only a tactic to catch me if I was Kira. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about the case and Kira. There’s so little to go on, but I’ll start drawing up a profile as soon as possible. I’ll need to review the information the case has gathered so far.”

L felt the corners of his mouth tug upwards. He hadn’t meant to smile but it came unbidden. He hadn’t anticipated her agreeing so enthusiastically.

“Of course, I’ll have Watari pick you up after school tomorrow. I’ll introduce you to the rest of the task force and then we can get started right away.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dialogue heavy, I know. There's more to come!

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I am posting Death Note fanfiction in the year of our Lord 2021. That's just where we're at now. Do what makes you happy, kids.
> 
> I'm new to Death Note so please forgive me if anything's off. I tried to keep track of the timeline but it's difficult to tell sometimes. Also forgive me if there's anything off about Japanese culture in general.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed!


End file.
